A retired bank employee was on Tuesday stabbed to death and his wife sustained serious injuries during an attempt by a group of men to rob antique gold valuables from their home in Wilson Garden.
Uday Raj Singh died on the spot. His wife, Susheela, raised an alarm and neighbours and police chased and nabbed three suspects.
According to the police, Singh had retired as manager from the State Bank of Mysore. He is a relative of Sangram Singh, the former Assistant Commissioner of Police. Singh had some antique jewellery worth lakhs, which he was planning to sell. Many people knew about the jewellery, a relative said. Prospective customers had been approaching him for many months, said the police. Around 3.30 p.m. on Tuesday, three men called on him posing as prospective clients.
“After Singh showed them a photograph of the antique jewellery, they wanted to see the real jewellery. The moment he showed them a necklace studded with diamonds and other precious stones, the trio whipped out knives and other sharp weapons. They attacked the couple,” Kamal Pant, Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) told reporters.
They bundled the jewellery in a bag and tried to escape via the terrace. But a neighbour, who heard Susheela’s screams, alerted the police.
Constables of Adugodi police station chased the men and caught them. Four others, who were standing guarding outside the house, escaped.
“As of now it looks like a murder for gain. We have recovered a bag containing the jewellery and the weapons used in the crime. We will wait until Susheela recuperates as she can throw more light on the crime,” Mr. Pant said.
